Rail-joint.



PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905.

3. A. MOKELVEY.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1904.

AM Ee/ZVe/y.

UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,491, dated January10, 1905. Application filed July 8, 1904. Serial No. 215,770.

1'0 all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MOKELVEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lillian, in the county of Monroe and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention embodies a peculiar form of rail or rails, and has forthe object thereof to increase the general rigidity and firmness of theadjacent rails at the meeting ends thereof.

The invention involves a special construction of the rail ends, wherebythe same are adapted to be interlocked with each other in such a manneras to obviate the necessity of use of transverse bolts or similarfastenings suchas are now employed, and the form of the rail ends issuch as to reinforce the same against vertical and lateral stress,expansive and contractive movements, however, being admitted of.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereofand alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings.

lVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modilication, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a perspective view of a rail-joint embodying the invention. Fig. 2is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4: is a perspectiveView bringing out more clearly the formation of each rail end. Fig. 5 isa vertical sectional view on the line X X of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is avertical sectional view on the line Y Y of Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The rails 1 may be of an outline in sectional View similar to those atpresent in use. However, it is desirable that the body of the rail beformed heavier in order to strengthen the ends thereof and because ofthe peculiar formation of such ends. Longitudinal flanges 2 at the lowerportions of the rails 1 may be provided, so that the said rails may befirmly spiked to the cross-ties of the road-bed. The ends of each railare of similar formation, and one only will be described. Adjacent theend of the rail a recess 3 is provided, and this recess is formed bycutting away the upper side ofthe head portion of the rail, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. The extremity of the rail is cut away below the headthereof, the cutaway portion being indicated by the numeral 4. Projecteddownwardly from the extremity of the rail is an extension or flange 5,longitudinally disposed, and this extension is received by a depression6 of an adjacent rail end, said depression being formed in the side ofthe rail and extending downwardly from the recess 3 therein. The recess3 of one rail receives the cut-away extremity of the opposite rail, saidextremity consisting of the ball or head portion of the rail only andresting flush when in the recess 3 above mentioned. In order that therails may be compact and approximately in line at the end thereof, thesides of the rail are cut away, as at 7, and the cut-away portion 7extends between the recess 3 and the cut-away portion 4 at the extremityof said rail. The sides of the rail ends which are cut away, as shown at7, rest snug against each other when the ends of the corresponding railsrest in the recesses 3 aforesaid. The recesses 3 are somewhat longerthan the extremity of the rail, which is cut away, as at 4, in order toadmit of a slight longitudinal movement of the rails for purposes ofcontraction and expansion, this provision being necessary for reasonswhich are obvious to those versed in the art to which my inventionrelates. The rails are limited in their longitudinal movement relativeto each other by extension of the end of one rail in the recess 3 of theother, and

such movement is also limited by the provision of the flange orextension 5, which is also received in a depression 6 above mentioned.The flange 5 not only cooperates as above set forth, but prevents anylateral play or movement of the rail ends and reinforces the railsagainst lateral stress.

The rail ends are interlocked by inclining the same and moving theflanges or extensions5 downwardly into proper position in thedepressions 6. The above having been done the rails are properly spikedto the crossties.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed new is- 1. In arail-joint, the combination of rails having the upper side of the headportions thereof recessed near the ends, the portions of each of therails below the head portion at the extremity being cut away, the headat the extremity of one rail being received by the recessed portion ofthe opposite rail.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination of rails having the upper side ofthe head portions thereof recessed near the ends, the portions of eachof the rails below the head. portion at the extremity being cut away,the head at the extremity of one rail being received by the recessedportion of the opposite rail, and an extension projected from theextremity of each rail and bearing against the side of the other rail.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination of rails having the upper side ofthe head portions thereof recessed near the ends, the portions of eachof the rails below the head portion at the extremity being cut away, thehead at the extremity of one rail being received by the recessed portionof the opposite rail, the rails being provided with depressions in thesides thereof which extend downwardly from the recessed portionsaforesaid, and an extension projected downwardly from the extremity ofeach rail and received by the depression of the other rail.

4. In a railjoint, the combination of rails provided with recesses inthe heads thereof at points near the ends, the extremities of said railsbelow the head portions being cut away, the head portion of one rail atthe extremity being received by the recess of the other rail, each railbeing provided with a depression extending downwardly from the recessabove mentioned, the side of each rail being cut away at a point betweenthe recess and the cut-away portion of the extremity thereof, and aflange projected downwardly from the cut-away head at the end of eachrail and adapted to be received by the depression in the end portion ofthe other rail.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. MOKELVEY. [L. s]

\Vitnesses:

DAN. RAsAR, J. F. BIRENS.

